1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of devices and methods for mitigating orbital debris problems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Orbital debris has emerged as a serious threat to the operation of space assets, such as reconnaissance satellites, manned vehicles, and communications satellites.
Many debris sources have emerged as a result of the various space programs. Among the types of debris are non-functional satellites, expended booster stages, fragments of rocket boosters and other objects, debris from satellites (due to deterioration with age), and debris from collisions in space, such as than from the collision of the commercial Iridium 33 satellite with the defunct Kosmos 2251 satellite. It is estimated that low earth orbit contains at least 8,500 objects over 10 cm long, and over 1,000,000 objects that are over 2 mm long.
Current satellite operations are threatened by the debris threat. Ground tracking sites are able to maintain data on objects only to about 10 cm in size. The heaviest on-board shielding currently in use is on critical life support system components of the international space station (ISS); such shielding is rated only for 1 cm impacts. Maneuvering to attempt to avoid debris has major consequences to flight control operations (flight control attention, propellant use, and vehicle life risk).
From the foregoing it will be appreciated that further efforts in this area has the potential to yield benefits.